Higher Quality Of Life Research Articles

Functional outcomes following external beam radiation therapy for patients with prior holmium laser enucleation of the prostate.

Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is an increasingly popular size-independent technique of treating male voiding dysfunction due to benign prostatic hypertrophy. Some patients after HoLEP may develop clinically significant prostate cancer and opt for definitive treatment with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Little is known about the safety of EBRT after HoLEP and how it may functionally impact voiding after HoLEP has altered the anatomy of the prostate. Our study aimed to assess patient-reported voiding outcomes following EBRT after HoLEP with a focus on incontinence related patient outcomes. This study was conducted with approval from our hospital's institutional review board. Patients that underwent HoLEP followed by EBRT were identified and data were collected in a retrospective nature from a single surgeon HoLEP cohort over the past 4years (2019-2023). Patient demographics, disease and radiation therapy characteristics, radiation therapy, and baseline voiding symptoms were recorded. Current functional voiding outcomes were also collected via phone-call or portal communication in a cross-sectional manner with questions pertaining to type of incontinence, IPSS quality of life score, and administration of the Michigan incontinence symptom index (M-ISI). Adverse events encountered during follow-up were recorded. 24 patients were identified who received RT for prostate cancer after HoLEP with an average age of 73.6 (± 5.3). One third of patients reported no incontinence whatsoever after radiation and of those who experienced incontinence, the majority felt that it was not worsened after radiation. Median IPSS QoL score following radiation was 1 (range 0-6), median M-ISI Severity Score was 4 out of a maximum of 32, and median M-ISI bother score was 0 out of a maximum of 8. One patient developed a bladder neck contracture (BNC) approximately 1year following his radiation therapy (approximately 18months after HoLEP) causing bothersome incontinence and LUTS. In our cohort most patients who received RT after HoLEP reported a high urinary-symptom related quality of life and a low rate of urinary incontinence. One patient who received SBRT suffered a BNC which is a known adverse event with RT but given our small sample size it remains unclear if the risk is higher in patients receiving RT after HoLEP. Larger studies should focus on examining the rate of bladder neck contracture in patients receiving RT after HoLEP, particularly focusing on whether the degree of dose fractionation may impact their development.

Mediating Role of Social Support and Family Functioning on Quality of Life of Family Caregivers of Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorder

Background: Caring for persons with alcohol use disorder (AUD) significantly affects the quality of life (QoL) of caregivers. According to Lazarus and Folkman’s Stress and Coping Model (1984), the severity of alcohol consumption (SAC) is a major stressor for AUD caregivers. These stressors impact well-being, with QoL linked to caregivers’ coping resources, especially social support (SS) and family functioning (FF). The study aimed to investigate the mediating roles of SS and FF in the relationship between the SAC and caregivers’ QoL. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two psychiatric hospitals in Amritsar city, Punjab. We used a purposive sampling technique to collect data from 128 family caregivers aged 18 and above who were caring for male patients with AUD aged between 20 and 65. The assessment tools used were the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Family Assessment Device (FAD), and PGI Social Support Questionnaire (PGI SSQ). Results: There is a significant and partial mediation of the association between SAC and QoL by both SS and FF ( P < .001, 99% CI). Moreover, SAC (r = –0.519), FF (r = –0.603), and SS (r = 0.641) showed significant correlations with caregivers’ QoL ( P < .001). The mean scores for SAC, SS, FF, and QoL were 22.66 (11.38), 50.88 (9.45), 127.18 (43.85), and 84.13 (18.70), respectively, suggesting moderate SAC in patients, moderate to high perceived SS levels, moderate perception of family dysfunction, and moderate to high QoL among the caregivers. Conclusion: SAC detrimentally impacts caregivers’ QoL both directly and indirectly through SS and FF, with the latter serving as mediators, partially mitigating SAC’s negative impact. Clinical implications underscore the importance of tailored interventions, emphasizing the strengthening of support systems and consideration of diverse FF domains for personalized approaches. The findings contribute valuable insights for developing targeted interventions customized to the specific needs of AUD caregivers to enhance their overall QoL.

Bezpečná domácnosť pre seniorov z pohľadu ergoterapeuta

Starting point: Preventive programs for older adults should focus on promoting aging in their place of residence. A safe household without barriers is one condition for maintaining a high quality of life and supporting self-sufficiency. The occupational therapist plays a key role in evaluating the home environment and supervising follow-up interventions. Aim: This review study aims to clarify the role of occupational therapist interventions in the home environment of older adults and describe the most common and significant risks and subsequent modifications to the environment to create a safe home and prevent falls based on best practices. Methods: This is a review of published literature between 2013 and 2024 using the PRISMA methodology. The electronic databases Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO, and PubMed were searched. Results: Of the 198 sources, 10 studies met the analysis criteria. Risky areas in older adult homes and possible interventions to increase safety are clearly listed. The areas with the greatest security risk are the bedrooms, bathrooms with toilets, and stairs. Various obstacles, including carpets, objects placed at an inappropriate height, a low toilet, or insufficient lighting, were among the most common causes of falls. Conclusions: Studies point to the importance of promoting self-sufficiency and raising awareness regarding aging modifications to the homes of older adults.

Single-Incision Laparoscopic Totally Extraperitoneal Sublay Repair of Lumbar Hernia: A Novel Technique.

Background: Lumbar hernia is a rare disease with low incidence, and no golden standard surgical procedure has been established for lumbar hernias. The single-incision laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal sublay (SIL-TES) technique became a novel surgical technique for lumbar hernias. Methods: This retrospective study included 20 patients who underwent SIL-TES repair for lumbar hernia between April 2020 and March 2024. The baseline patient characteristics, intraoperative data, postoperative data, satisfaction score, and Carolina Comfort Scale scores were collected. Results: The results revealed that the SIL-TES technique for lumbar hernia repair is associated with a low complication rate, nonrecurrence, high satisfaction score, and high quality of life after surgery. Conclusions: The SIL-TES technique could be a feasible and effective surgical technique for lumbar hernias. A controlled study is needed for further confirmation.

52654 Reaching high treatment goals is linked with a high quality of life in psoriasis patients; 1-year data from the German VALUE study

52654 Reaching high treatment goals is linked with a high quality of life in psoriasis patients; 1-year data from the German VALUE study

Integrating Internet of Things and Big Data as an Approach for Enhancing the Quality of Life in Egyptian Cities

Abstract In modern times, the concept of quality of life (QoL) has been a focal point in numerous studies, offering solutions to challenges faced by residents in new cities worldwide, including Egypt. To ensure citizens enjoy a high quality of life, cities are increasingly leveraging innovative technologies to address various aspects such as the environment, physical health, mobility, social interaction, psychological well-being, and the economy. Among these technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT) plays a significant role in enhancing people’s lives. By utilizing IoT as an information technology tool, cities can tackle their unique challenges. Consequently, the IoT method and the information obtained through Big Data (BD) analysis will enhance cities sustainability, safety, and liveability for residents. This research aims to explore the integration of IoT and BD for enhancing the quality of life in Egyptian cities. A qualitative methodology is employed to achieve this goal. Initially, a comprehensive literature review is conducted to uncover the relationship between improving quality of life in Egyptian cities and the use of IoT and BD methods. Additionally, a case study of Busan city, which has successfully implemented several IoT technologies to enhance the well-being of its inhabitants, is presented and analyzed. The findings from both the literature review and the case study highlight the positive correlation between the adoption of IoT and BD technologies and the overall quality of life in cities, spanning dimensions such as transportation, economy, social aspects, and the environment.

Correlation between Fatigue and Quality of Life in Adolescent Oncology Patients in Jordan

Background Adolescence represents a distinct and multifaceted developmental stage characterized by profound physical and cognitive transformations. Adolescents undergoing cancer treatment frequently have unique needs that remain unmet, leading to a notable decline in their quality of life. Cancer treatment often results in problems like fatigue, which affects patients' quality of life. Assessing quality of life and fatigue among adolescent cancer patients is essential for enhancing nursing care and improving outcomes. Objective This study aimed to investigate the correlation between fatigue and quality of life among adolescent cancer patients in Jordan. Methods A “cross-sectional” study was performed, with the participation of 127 Jordanian adolescent cancer patients, and data was collected through a nameless online survey of Jordanian adolescent cancer patients. The study commenced in February 2024 and concluded in June 2024. Demographic data and responses from two self-reported questionnaires—the Arabic versions of “Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory” “Multidimensional Fatigue Scale” and “Generic Core 4.0”—were collected. Descriptive statistics of means, frequencies, standard deviations, and percentages were used with demographics while inferential statistics were conducted using independent t-tests, Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, and Kruskal-Wallis tests in SPSS, version 26. Results Significant and potent correlations were found between various types of fatigue “general, sleep/rest, cognitive, and total” and quality of life “physical, emotional, social, school, psychosocial health”. Notably, the total fatigue scores showed a potent correlation with the total summary scores (r=0.946), with a p-value significant at the <0.001 level for all correlations, indicating that adolescents with cancer experienced high fatigue and low quality of life. Conclusion The study demonstrated a potent link between fatigue and quality of life. The study's outcomes can help enhance guidelines for routine evaluation of fatigue and quality of life by nurses and healthcare providers in adolescent cancer patients to implement and evaluate interventions aimed at reducing fatigue in patients, highlighting fatigue as a significant concern. Future research should explore interventions such as exercise, leisure activities, and sleep to alleviate fatigue. Longitudinal research is essential to assess fatigue at diverse times of the day and week; this could help develop tailored fatigue management strategies to augment the quality of life among adolescent oncology patients.

Application of sports rehabilitation training in mobile edge computing to treatment of patients with knee arthritis

According to the data of the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2019, the proportion of elderly people aged 65 and above in the total population reached 12.6%, and with the acceleration of the aging process, the incidence of knee osteoarthritis has increased significantly. According to the Chinese Journal of Orthopedics, the number of patients with knee osteoarthritis is growing at a rate of 6% every year, and there are more than 100 million patients with knee osteoarthritis in China, which significantly affects the quality of life of middle-aged and elderly people. This paper uses mobile edge computing technology and nanotubes to cooperate with reasonable sports to study the rehabilitation of patients with knee arthritis in the rehabilitation stage. The subjects of the study were 60 patients with knee arthritis, and the 60 patients were divided into 4 groups: group A used nanotubes and exercise rehabilitation training; group B used nanotubes but no exercise rehabilitation training; group C did not use nanotubes Tube, but sports rehabilitation training after the operation; D does not use nanotubes, and does not perform sports rehabilitation training after the operation. The 4 groups of patients performed routine exercises on the basis of rehabilitation exercise care. The study lasted for six months, with the 60 patients assessed monthly on their self-care ability, knee function and quality of life. Self-care ability was assessed by the Barthel Index (BI), knee function was assessed by the Knee Score Scale (KSS), and quality of life was assessed by the SF-36 Health questionnaire. The experimental results showed that all indexes of group A were higher than those of group B, KSS value was 2 higher than that of control group, ADL (activities of daily living) comprehensive value was 0.4 higher than that of control group, and SF-36 (The Short-From-36 Health Survey) value was 0.8 higher than that of control group. The self-care ability and health status of patients who performed balance exercises were significantly higher than those who did not perform balance exercises. The quality of life of patients who used nanotubes was significantly higher than that of those who did not. Therefore, the method of using nanotubes in combination with exercise rehabilitation training can restore the function of patients with knee arthritis and promote high quality of life.

Factors affecting quality of life in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration

PurposeThis study examines how factors such as age, sex, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), driving ability, and perceived treatment effectiveness influence quality of life (QoL) among patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections. Such information might be invaluable for healthcare providers, enabling them to understand who benefits from treatment. DesignSurvey-based cross-sectional study MethodsWe used questionnaire responses from patients receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF injections for nAMD to evaluate self-reported QoL, measured by the Macular Degeneration Quality of Life questionnaire. Background questions in the survey gathered patient information, while BCVA was obtained from medical records. The associations between self-rated QoL and various factors were analyzed using binomial logistic regression and linear regression. We calculated crude odds ratio (OR) and β-coefficient as well as OR and β-coefficient adjusted for sex, age, and BCVA. ResultsThis study included 348 individuals, median age 79.2 years (IQR 75.0–84.0), with 58.3 % women. In the adjusted logistic model, factors associated with a QoL above average were male sex (OR 1.65, 95 % CI 1.04, 2.63), BCVA above 0.5 Snellen in best seeing eye (OR 11.16, 95 % CI 4.24, 29.35), preserved driving ability (OR 3.35, 95 % CI 1.80, 6.26), and perceiving treatment effectiveness (OR 2.15, 95 % CI 1.07, 4.34). The adjusted linear regression revealed the same associations, yet the positive relationship between QoL and biological sex was significant in the crude model but not in the adjusted model (β: 0.30, 95 % CI -0.04, 0.64). ConclusionGood visual acuity and driving ability strongly correlate with high QoL in patients with nAMD. Perceptions of the effectiveness of anti-VEGF treatment double the likelihood of high QoL, highlighting the need for further investigation into its potential clinical implications.

A Structural Equation Model for Understanding the Relationship between Cognitive Reserve, Autonomy, Depression and Quality of Life in Aging.

In recent years, aging has become a focal point of scientific research and health policies due to the growing demographic trend of an aging worldwide population. Understanding the protective and risk factors that influence aging trajectories is crucial for designing targeted interventions that support healthy aging and improve people's quality of life. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between variables of aging. A total of 103 Italian participants (55-75 years old) underwent multidimensional assessments that covered cognitive, functional, emotional, and quality of life dimensions. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data and elucidate the relationships between depression, quality of life, cognitive reserve, executive functions, and daily autonomy. The findings revealed that a higher quality of life was associated with reduced depressive symptoms. In addition, cognitive reserve emerged as a protective factor positively correlated with both quality of life and daily autonomy. In this study, quality of life was determined using physical health, psychological, social relationships, and environmental domains. Identifying the significant relationships between these variables in a sample of late adults and young-aged people has given us useful elements for designing psycho-educational interventions that can be aimed at preventing frailty in later old age or supporting healthy longevity.

Lifestyle Behaviors and Psychological Health in Adolescents with Overweight or Obesity: Cross-sectional Associations with Weight Underestimation.

Encouraging adolescents with overweight/obesity to accurately perceive their weight in the belief that this will improve their lifestyle behaviors (physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), eating behavior (EB)) may be detrimental to their psychological health. This study aimed to investigate associations between weight underestimation and lifestyle behaviors along with psychological health in French adolescents with overweight or obesity. Baseline data from adolescents who participated in a school-based trial were used. Lifestyle behaviors and psychological health (anxiety, depression, eating disorders, quality of life (QoL)) were self-reported. Weight underestimation was measured by matching objective and perceived weight status. Multilevel models were computed to investigate associations between weight underestimation and lifestyle behaviors and psychological health, by gender. Of the 1245 adolescents included (15.3 ± 0.7years), 15.8% underestimated their objective weight (boys 24.2%; girls 8.2%). Boys with underestimation had higher vigorous PA energy expenditure (β = 372.7 MET-min/week, 95%CI [25.1;720.4]), and lower daily sugar-sweetened beverages and foods consumption (β = - 0.3 points, 95%CI [- 0.7; - 0.0]) than those with accurate perception. Girls with weight underestimation had lower eating disorder (β = - 6.0 points, 95%CI [- 9.6; - 2.5]), anxiety (β = - 7.8 points, 95%CI [- 13.8; - 1.9]), and higher QoL (β = 3.3 points, 95%CI [0.0; 6.5]) scores than girls with accurate perception. Weight underestimation among adolescents with overweight or obesity was associated with healthier lifestyle behaviors in boys, and better psychological health (eating disorder, anxiety and QoL) in girls. Accurate perception of weight status may not be a relevant lever to improve lifestyle behaviors and psychological health.

Urban/Rural Disparity in Quality of Life among the Older Adults in China: Mediation Effect of Leisure Activity.

The current study revisits the urban/rural quality of life (QOL) disparity among the older adults in China. It aims to test the potential leisure activity mechanism. Data for this study come from the 2011 and 2014 wave of Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Sample is restricted to the respondents who are 65 years old and older who are alive for both waves. Ordered logistic regression model is used to test the relationship between QOL and urban/rural residency. Mediation test is used to investigate the mediation effect of leisure activities. Findings from the analysis show that urban older adults have higher QOL, as well as higher frequency of participating leisure activities compare to their rural counterparts. Results also show that leisure activities, especially the cognitive stimulation activities mediate the relationship between urban/rural residency and QOL. The current study adds the role of leisure activities as an intervening variable between urban/rural residency and QOL among older adults in China. Policy application to reduce the QOL disparity through leisure activities is also discussed.

Learning environment and its relationship with quality of life and burn-out among undergraduate medical students in Pakistan: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to determine the association between the learning environment, quality of life (QoL), and burn-out among students from selected public-sector and private-sector medical colleges in Lahore, Pakistan.DesignThis...

Seeing life through life: Unpacking life education in intergenerational learning in China

Life education is increasingly recognized as one of the potentially effective ways to reduce unnatural deaths. Existing research focuses mainly on classroom knowledge transfer and extracurricular practical activities, which has been criticized for their effectiveness due to insufficient interaction between teachers and students. Creating high-quality life education, therefore, has become a demand for human happiness. Intergenerational learning embedded in life education, developed by collaborating with primary schools and older adult schools in China, has become an effective practice. Two teachers, seven primary school students, and seven older adult learners were interviewed to reveal the characteristics and impact of this effective practice. This model of practice establishes a dual subject of teachers and students in breaking the boundary between teachers as subjects and students as objects, while recognizing diverse lives in the interaction and reflection of intergenerational learning. In addition, this study constructs a classroom teaching model of teachers, primary school students, and older adult learners jointly creating knowledge, skills, emotions, attitudes, and values, and I put forward the life education thought of ‘seeing life through life’. This study has implications for policymakers on improving educational policies and practitioners on innovating life education models in cross-cultural contexts.

Living in Camps Impacts on the Mental Health and Quality of Life of Displaced People in Northwest Syria

The research aimed to study the impact of living in displacement camps on mental health and Quality of life among Syrians in Northwest Syria. A descriptive and analytical approach was utilized, where two scales of mental health (SCL – 90 - R) and Quality of life (WHOQOL – BREF) were applied, with (306) participants. Results show that symptoms of mental health disorders appear at different levels, where the most common disorder is Depression, and the least common is Psychoticism. Quality of life results show that the most common issue was General Health, and the least common was environmental health. Differences between educational status and gender were statistically significant when studying the presence of mental health disorders, where it was lower in males than in females. Quality of life results showed significant differences between all demographic characteristics except the duration of stay in the camp. It was higher in females than in males. It was higher among the employed than the unemployed, and the age (under 18 years) had the highest Quality of life .Regarding marital status, it was highest in the (single and widowed). The Quality of life was highest among the university degree holders. There was a moderate and inverse correlation between Symptoms of mental health disorders and Quality of life, where the correlation coefficient was (-0.382), and this indicates a lower level of mental health with increasing deterioration in Quality of life. The results showed that Quality of life contributes to interpreting the variance in Symptoms of mental health disorders. The beta value (β = - 0.391) means that whenever Quality of life improved by one unit, Symptoms of mental health disorders decreased by (0.391) unit . To conclude, quality of life statistically significantly contributes to explaining mental health disorders among Syrians in displaced camps.

Quality of life among people with mental illness attending a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Ethiopia: a structural equation model.

Mental illness is one of the most severe, chronic, and disabling public health problems that affects patients' Quality of life (QoL). Improving the QoL for people with mental illness is one of the most critical steps in stopping disease progression and avoiding complications of mental illness. Therefore, we aimed to assess the QoL and its determinants in patients with mental illness in outpatient clinics in Northwest Ethiopia in 2023. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among people with mental illness in an outpatient clinic in Ethiopia. The sampling interval was decided by dividing the total study participants who had a follow-up appointment during the data collection period (2400), by the total sample size 638, with the starting point selected by lottery method. The interviewer-administered WHOQOL BREF-26 tool was used to measure the quality of life (QoL) of people with mental illness. The domains of QoL were identified, and indirect and direct effects of variables were calculated using structural equation modelling with SPSS-28 and Amos-28 software. A p-value of < 0.05 and a 95% CI were used to evaluate statistical significance. A total of 636 (99.7%) participants agreed to participate and completed the data collection. The mean score of overall QoL of people with mental illness in the outpatient clinic was 49.6 ± 10 Sd. The highest QoL was found in the physical health domain (50.67 ± 9.5 Sd), and the lowest mean QoL was found in the psychological health domain (48.41 ± 10 Sd). Rural residence, drug nonadherence, suicidal ideation, not getting counselling, moderate or severe subjective severity, family does not participate in patient care and a family history of mental illness had an indirect negative effect on QoL. Alcohol use and psychological health domain had direct positive effect on QoL. Furthermore, objective severity of illness, having low self-esteem, and having history of mental illness in the family had both direct and indirect effect on QoL. Furthermore, sociodemographic factors (rural residence, illiterate educational status, not married marital status), social support-related factors (poor self-esteem, family not participating in patient care), substance use factors (alcohol use, tobacco use) and clinical factors (high objective and subjective severity of illness, not getting counselling, suicidal ideation, higher number of episodes, comorbid illness, family history of mental illness, poor drug adherence) directly and indirectly affected QoL. In this study, the QoL of people with mental illness was poor, with the psychological health domain the most affected. Sociodemographic factors, social support-related factors, drug use factors, and clinical factors, directly and indirectly affected QoL through the mediator variables of physical health domains, psychological health domains, social relation health domains, and environmental health domains. In order to improve the QoL of people with mental illnesses, we recommend that emphasis be given to addressing the QoL of those with mental illness, including the development of policy and practice responses that address the above identified factors.

Spatio-temporal characteristics and multi-scale risk identification of pollution load based on sensitivity analysis in small watersheds located in Tuojiang River Basin, China.

High-quality development of water resources supports high-quality socio-economic development. High-quality development connects high-quality life, and clarifying the key management contents of small watersheds plays an important role in building ecologically clean small watersheds and promoting regional production and life. Previous research on pollution loads has focused on examining the impact of various external drivers on pollution loads but still lacks research on the impact of changes in pollution sources themselves on pollution loads. In this study, sensitivity analysis was used to determine the impact of changes from different sources on the total pollution loads, which can recognize the critical pollution sources. We first employed the pollutant discharge coefficient method to quantify non-point source pollution loads in the small watershed in the upstream Tuojiang River basin from 2010 to 2021. Then, combination sensitivity analysis with Getis-Ord Gi* was used to identify the critical sources and their crucial areas at the global, districts (counties), and towns (streets) scales, respectively. The results indicate: (1) The pollution loads of COD, NH3-N, TN, and TP all show a decreasing trend, reducing by 18.3%, 16.2%, 18.6%, and 28.1% from 2010 to 2021, respectively; (2) Livestock and poultry breeding pollution source is the most critical source for majority areas across watershed; (3) High-risk areas are mainly concentrated in Jingyang district and its subordinate towns (streets). There is a trend of low-pollution risk areas transitioning to high-pollution risk areas, with high-risk areas predominantly concentrated in the southeast and exhibiting a noticeable phenomenon of pollution load spilling around. This study can promote other similar small watersheds, holding significant importance for non-point source pollution control in small watersheds.

Gasless trans-axillary endoscopic versus conventional open hemithyroidectomy for thyroid cancer patients: A propensity score-matched analysis of quality of life and oncological outcomes: A cross-sectional questionnaire study

BackgroundThyroid cancer predominantly affects young females who seek surgical intervention not only for excellent oncological outcomes but also for a high quality of life (QOL) and favorable cosmetic and functional outcomes. The gasless trans-axillary endoscopic (GTAE) approach is a commonly used remote access technique for thyroid surgeries. It holds the potential for comparable oncological outcomes and superior QOL, cosmetic, and functional outcomes. However, robust evidence supporting this hypothesis is scarce. Materials and MethodsWe collected data from patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent hemithyroidectomy with central compartment dissection at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) between December 2019 and January 2023. After applying propensity-score matching analysis (PSMA), a total of 424 cases were included. For oncological outcomes, patients in both groups were prospectively followed through regular outpatient visits. The QOL, functional, and cosmetic outcomes were assessed using a cross-sectional online questionnaire, including EORTC-THY34 for QOL, PSAQ for cosmetic outcomes, SIS-6 for swallowing functions, and VHI-10 for voicing functions. We further compared oncological outcomes, QOL, functional, and cosmetic outcomes between these two groups. ResultsA total of 274 cases provided validated responses: 141 underwent the GTAE approach, and 134 underwent the conventional open (CO) approach. The operation time was approximately 60 minutes longer in the GTAE group. Notably, there was no difference in complications between the two approaches. Rates of suspicious recurrence in both groups remained low and showed no significant differences (2.55% vs. 1.57%, p>0.05). No pathological confirmed recurrence was reported in either group. Patients with the GTAE approach showed better body image and less joint pain (EORTC-THY34), better swallowing (SIS-6), and better cosmetic outcomes (PSAQ). Voice outcomes showed no difference between these two approaches (VHI-10). ConclusionCompared to the CO approach, hemithyroidectomy with central compartment dissection via the GTAE approach in low-risk patients maintains comparable oncological outcomes while offering better QOL, cosmetic benefits, and functional outcomes.

Patient-reported outcomes-the role of the patient's subjective perspective for research and clinical care

Because only patients can adequately assess symptoms, disability, and quality of life, concordance between apatient's and physician's assessment is often low. Accordingly, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are increasingly used in research and routine clinical care. In daily practice, PROs are not only applied to measure the patient's perceived outcome of medical treatments, but also to assess their health status before intervention starts. Typically, several patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), which are reliable and valid, are available for the assessment of the most important PROMs. In daily clinical practice, the integration of PROs can be useful for clinical assessment and treatment planning or for quality management. Currently, the most promising application is routine patient monitoring using digital PROMs (ePROMs). Systematic reviews have revealed that the routine use of PROMs in daily clinical care is associated with, among others, improved physician-patient communication, higher patient satisfaction, reduced symptom burden, higher quality of life, and improved survival. This effect is especially strong if health care professionals continuously receive the results of the PRO monitoring. Patients are usually inclined to disclose their health status, and the positive effects of routine patient monitoring are widely recognized. However, several barriers to using PROs and PROMs still exist.

Influence of Recreational Activities on Quality of Life in Retirees in Canada

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of recreational activities on quality of life in retirees in Canada. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Recreational activities significantly enhance retirees' quality of life in Canada by improving physical health, reducing loneliness, and increasing life satisfaction. Activities like walking, gardening, and community involvement boost well-being and mental health. Structured programs offered by community centers also contribute to retirees' sense of purpose and belonging. Access to varied recreational options and social networks is essential for maintaining high life quality. Tailoring activities to individual interests and abilities is key to long-term benefits. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Activity theory, self-determination theory (SDT), socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) may be used to anchor future studies on influence of recreational activities on quality of life in retirees in Canada. Practitioners should design and implement customized recreational programs tailored to the specific needs, preferences, and health conditions of retirees. Policymakers should allocate resources and funding to support recreational programs specifically designed for retirees.